Best WiFi plan for video calling?

[StepheeBee]

Hello Cruisers!

 

I am leaving next week on the Getaway for 9 days.  While I am traveling, I would like to be able to make frequent video calls back home using WhatsApp or skype.  Would the social media package suffice for this? Or should I splurge for the premium wifi?  I'd like as little lag or buffering as possible.  Does anybody have any experience making video calls onboard and what did you use?

 

Thank you all in advance!

 

[Rsavtechcruise]

Social media works fine for 

facetime

facebook messenger 

what's up

 

but guess what with all ship based internet. Speed lag and buffering will and could always be an issue as the internet on ship is satellite based 

[StepheeBee]

1 minute ago, Rsavtechcruise said:

Social media works fine for 

facetime

facebook messenger 

what's up

 

but guess what with all ship based internet. Speed lag and buffering will and could always be an issue as the internet on ship is satellite based 

Yes this is why I made this post - wanting to know the experiences other cruisers have had with speed and lag using the different packages! 🙂

[fastpitchdad]

24 minutes ago, StepheeBee said:

Hello Cruisers!

 

I am leaving next week on the Getaway for 9 days.  While I am traveling, I would like to be able to make frequent video calls back home using WhatsApp or skype.  Would the social media package suffice for this? Or should I splurge for the premium wifi?  I'd like as little lag or buffering as possible.  Does anybody have any experience making video calls onboard and what did you use?

 

Thank you all in advance!

 

 

I was on the Getaway earlier this month and had to use Webex and Skype for some conference calls. I upgraded to premium internet mostly because I could expense it but I am not sure the throughput was any better (I think they just open additional ports to allow streaming). In the end it worked ok but there was a 1 to 2 second lag. My meetings were between 5pm and 10pm ship time which is probably the busiest time for internet usage. I was able to stream the Seahawks Thursday night game but that was from 3am to 6am...pretty sure I was the only one using the internet at that time 🙂 .

[Rsavtechcruise]

Yes the speed is the same just open extra ports